Nisei

Nisei (二世; literally, "second generation") is a Japanese language term used in North America and South America to mean the children born to Japanese people who immigrated. The parents of Nisei, who were born in Japan, are called Issei (first generation), and their children born in the new country are called Nisei (second generation). The grandchildren of Issei are called Sansei (third generation).

Nisei are part of the wider Japanese diaspora. Though Nisei means "second-generation immigrant", the term is usually used to mean specifically the children of Japanese emigrants during the period of the Empire of Japan, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In the US, this group of Japanese Americans overlaps with the G.I. and silent generations. The character and uniqueness of the Nisei generation can be seen in its social history.

History

The earliest organized group of Japanese emigrants settled in Mexico in 1897.

Immigration to Brazil began in 1908. Today, the community which grew from the Nisei children has become the largest Japanese emigrant population outside of Japan, including approximately 1.5 million Brazilians. Other communities of Nisei grew up in the United States, Canada, and Peru. In the United States and Canada, many Nisei were incarcerated and forced into camps, along with their Issei parents, during World War II.

The use of the term Nisei was based on the term Issei (first generation), which came into common use in the 1930s. The word replaced the term "immigrant" (ijusha). This change in usage reflected changes in the way the Issei looked at themselves, including the idea of belonging to the new country.

Cultural profile

The term Nikkei (日系) was created by sociologists in the late 20th century. The Nikkei include all of the world's Japanese immigrants and their descendants.

The Issei were born in Japan, and their cultural point-of-view was primarily Japanese; but they were in the Americas by choice. Their Nisei sons and daughters grew up with a national and cultural point-of-view that was different from their parents.

Although the Issei kept an emotional connection with Japan, they created homes in a country far from Japan. The Nisei had never known a country other than the one into which they were born.

The Issei, Nisei and Sansei generations show very different attitudes to authority, gender, non-Japanese involvement, religious practice, and other matters.

Select list of notable Nisei

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• George Ariyoshi (1926–2026), American lawyer and politician, Governor of Hawaii from 1974 to 1986

• Ruth Asawa (1926–2013), American sculptor
• Bryan Clay (1980 - ), American decathlete
• Takayo Fischer (1933 - ), American actress

• Alberto Fujimori (1938–2024), Peruvian politician, 1990-2000
• Karen Fukuhara (1992 - ), American actress
• Luiz Gushiken (1950 - ), Brazilian politician and activist
• Barney Hajiro (1916–2011), US Medal of Honor recipient in World War II
• Mikio Hasemoto (1916–1943), US Medal of Honor recipient in World War II
• Joe Hayashi (1920–1945), US Medal of Honor recipient in World War II
• Shizuya Hayashi (1917–2008), US Medal of Honor recipient in World War II
• Fumiko Hayashida (1911–2014), American activist
• Satoshi Hirayama (1930–2021), American baseball player
• William Hohri (1927–2010), American political activist
• James Iha (1968 - ), American rock musician, member of Smashing Pumpkins
• Daniel Inouye (1924-2012), US Medal of Honor recipient World War II and US Senator from Hawaii
• Michiko Kakutani (1955 - ), American writer and retired literary critic
• Carlos Kasuga (1937 - ), Mexican businessman
• Yeiki Kobashigawa (1920–2005), US Medal of Honor recipient in World War II
• Yuri Kochiyama (1921–2014), American civil rights activist
• Ford Konno (1933 - ), US Olympic athlete (1952, 1956), swimmer
• Tommy Kono (1930–2016), US Olympic athlete (1952, 1956, 1960), weightlifter
• Robert Kuroda (1922–1944), US Medal of Honor recipient in World War II
• Ben Kuroki (1917–2015), US Army Air Force airman
• Mike Masaoka (1915–1991), American leader of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL)
• Spark Matsunaga (1916–1990), US Senator from Hawaii
• Hiroshi Miyamura (1925–2022), US Medal of Honor recipient in Korean War
• Norman Mineta (1931–2022), US Congressman from California and US Secretary of Transportation
• Wataru Misaka (1923–2019), American basketball player, 1st non-Caucasian to play in the NBA in 1947
• Pat Morita (1932–2005), American actor
• Kaoru Moto (1917–1992), US Medal of Honor recipient in World War II
• Sadao Munemori (1922–1945), US Medal of Honor recipient in World War II
• Kiyoshi Muranaga (1922–1944), US Medal of Honor recipient in World War II
• Mirai Nagasu (1993 - ), American Figure Skating champion in 2008
• Masato Nakae (1917–1998), US Medal of Honor recipient in World War II
• Shinyei Nakamine (1920–1944), US Medal of Honor recipient in World War II
• William Nakamura (1922–1944), US Medal of Honor recipient in World War II
• George Nakashima (1905–1990), American furniture designer and cabinetmaker
• Joe Nishimoto (1920–1944), US Medal of Honor recipient in World War II
• Luis Nishizawa (1918–2014), Mexican artist
• Gyo Obata (1922–2023), American architect
• Allan Ohata (1918–1977), US Medal of Honor recipient in World War II
• Apolo Anton Ohno (1982 - ) American Olympic athlete (2002, 2006, 2010), speed skater
• James Okubo (1920–1967), US Medal of Honor recipient in World War II
• Yukio Okutsu (1921–2003), US Medal of Honor recipient in World War II
• Frank Ono (1923–1980), US Medal of Honor recipient in World War II
• Kazuo Otani (1918–1944), US Medal of Honor recipient in World War II
• Yoshinobu Oyakawa, American Olympic athlete (1952), swimmer
• George Sakato (1921 - ), US Medal of Honor recipient in World War II
• James Shigeta (1933–2014), American actor
• Yuki Shimoda (1921–1981), American actor
• Pat Suzuki (1930 - ), American singer and actress
• Shinkichi Tajiri (1923–2009), American sculptor
• Miiko Taka (1925–2023), American actress
• Ted Tanouye (1919–1944), US Medal of Honor recipient in World War II
• Iwao Takamoto (1925–2007), American animator and director
• George Takei (1937 - ), American actor
• Yosh Uchida (1924–2020), American judo coach, businessman, and educator
• Minoru Yamasaki (1912–1986), American architect

Related pages

• Japanese American Internment
• Manzanar

References

Other websites

Media related to Internment of Japanese-Canadians at Wikimedia Commons Media related to Japanese American internment at Wikimedia Commons

• Japanese American National Museum
• Japanese American Historical Society
• Densho: The Japanese American Legacy Project
• Discover Nikkei